title: Working memory development in children with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of the current cross-sectional study was to examine the developmental progression in working memory (WM) between the ages of 9 and 16 years in a large sample of children with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities (MBID). Baddeley's influential WM model was used as a theoretical framework. Furthermore, the relations between WM on the one hand, and scholastic skills (arithmetic and reading) on the other were examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and ninety-seven children with MBID between 9 and 16 years old participated in this study. All children completed several tests measuring short-term memory, WM, inhibition, arithmetic and single word reading.
  
  
  RESULTS
  WM, visuospatial short-term memory and inhibition continued to develop until around age 15 years. However verbal short-term memory showed no further developmental increases after the age of 10 years. Verbal short-term memory was associated with single word reading, whereas inhibition was associated with arithmetic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The finding that verbal short-term memory ceases to develop beyond the age of 10 years in children with MBID contrasts with results of studies involving typically developing children, where verbal short-term memory develops until around age 15 years. This relative early developmental plateau might explain why verbal short-term memory is consistently considered weak in children with MBID.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Education, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Van der Molen
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: J E H
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Van Luit
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007804:Language Development; D008297:Male; D055641:Mathematical Concepts; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D011932:Reading; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology
keywords: arithmetic; inhibition; intellectual disabilities; short-term memory; speeded reading; working memory